Top tips for protecting and enhancing positive mental health

By Jonathan Peloquin, Benefits Service Center West Regional Leader, WTW

My name is Jonathan Peloquin (He/Him) and I’m a leader for our customer service contact centers in the United States as well as a co-chair for our LGBT+inclusion network for North America. Now more than ever, there’s a need for us to be aware of our mental health and wellbeing. As a member of the community myself, I’d like to share my tips for protecting and enhancing positive mental health.

Know your organization and their culture.

 I’m lucky to work for WTW and am fiercely proud of the environment that they cultivate for their colleagues. You spend a lot of your adult life working with a company and their team. Researching a company’s culture will help you decide if it’s a place where you think you can belong.  Think past the paycheck and ensure that you are spending time with a company that will create the environment that will have a positive impact on your mental health. Feeling safe, supported, and knowing that your company accepts you for who you are and what you bring to the team is a solid foundation to good mental health. Do not settle for anything less than what you deserve and know that the environment you are in will set the tone for your overall wellbeing.

Seek out and create safe spaces.

Know where you can talk freely and openly about what is happening in your life and where you may need guidance and support. Look for visual or auditory queues to find those safe spaces. Example: Does someone have a pride sticker on their laptop, or are they using pronouns in their introductions?  These can help indicate you may be entering a safe space. Use those safe spaces to discuss what is impacting you and your mental health and seek out options/resources that may be available to you. Safe spaces are critical to allowing vulnerability and open dialog around what you, or others, may need assistance with. If you can create safe spaces, do so. They are good for your team, their morale, their mental health, and the business. 

Get past any stigma about seeking help.

Therapy and assistance are for everyone, and we need to get past the stigma of asking for help. According to the Mental Health Foundation, nearly half of LGBT+ people have experienced depression, and three in five have experienced anxiety. One in eight LGBT+ people aged 18 to 24 have attempted to end their life. The feelings of anxiety, fear, isolation, and depression are not normal, and we should not have to live with them as a constant barrier to our happiness. Seek out professional assistance and be open with them about how you are feeling. There is no better feeling than being able to overcome and control these barriers as they present themselves. Most employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) programs that offer a solid starting point to getting some assistance. If your employer doesn’t offer this program, take to the internet to find LGBT Friendly therapists in your area. 

Get involved in the community and workplace groups that support you.

Sometimes being around like-minded individuals does wonders for your wellbeing. I find that getting involved with groups, like our internal LGBT+ inclusion network (which is open to all colleagues), help remind me that I’m not alone and that there’s a lot I can give back to or even learn from the greater community and our allies. This same mindset extends to the community outside of work. Look for volunteer opportunities and special interest groups (like for me, line dancing) that appeal to you. Sometimes joining a group of people that naturally accept you, support you, and want to be with you solidifies that sense of belonging and reminds you that you are not in this by yourself. 

Know your limits and set boundaries.

This is probably the most important piece of advice I have for anyone. It is critical to know yourself, know how you respond to situations, and set yourself up for success. It’s okay to know what you can deal with before it impacts your mental health and set reasonable expectations to ensure that you bring the best version of yourself into any situations. Don’t be afraid to say no or counter back with a reasonable alternative to what is being asked of you. If someone doesn’t respect your boundaries, they aren’t respecting you as an individual. It’s okay to walk away from situations that have a negative impact to you. You are important and must protect yourself!

I hope that you’ve found these tips helpful. Remember to protect yourself and your mental health as a priority. When you bring the best version of yourself to the table, you’re setting yourself up for the best chances of success. Remember that life is not siloed and there is a lot of intersectionality on topics and groups. Celebrate and take advantage of those areas.